How Web Designers Can Keep Up with Job Market Transformations

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A recent study from Edelman Intelligence has found an interesting fact. It claims freelancers are already feeling the impact of the "Fourth Industrial Revolution". Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already impacting jobs in most industry sectors. Other innovative technologies are affecting web design work. Thereby, they are influencing freelancers as well.

Freelancers have become quite adept at proactively upgrading their skills. They do this far more than members of the traditional workforce. But not all freelancers are doing so. If you fall into this category, here is how you can not only keep up, but remain at the top of your profession.

Kick Off Your Projects with Pre-built Websites

Keeping up with the latest industry trends doesn’t have to be all that difficult. This is when you can rely, to some degree, on the efforts of others.

Using pre-built websites is one way to keep pace with the latest design trends. Each of Be Theme's selection of 300+ customizable pre-built websites can be adapted to meet your needs. They can do so within hours and without any requirement for coding on your part.

These themes feature clean layouts and graphics and offer unsurpassed speed and performance. You can install any or all of them with a 1-click installer, as demonstrated in this cool, 40-second video.

Popular Be Theme Pre-Built Websites

Here's a sampling of Be Theme pre-built websites. By clicking on the hyperlinks, you'll get an awareness of how much easier they can make your workflow.

At the same time, they are giving you the opportunity to put into practice the latest web design trends.

Any website intended for a food-oriented business should feature large images, just like those in this example. This should be done in order to entice visitors to investigate further or make a purchase.

The interactive menu guides visitors toward a call to action. A section on customer testimonials helps to seal the deal.

The best thing that can be said about many small business websites is that they're dull and uninspiring. That certainly won't be the case when bold, professional images like this (including before and after images) are the new normal. The price listing for services feature of this pre-built website is another must-have.

This pre-built website lays the foundation for an award-winning events and meetings website. The content addresses the what, where, when, and why of events and meetings using a standard menu, and eye-catching countdown clock and a clean design.

This pre-built website provides another example of basing a design on who the audience is. In this case, the bold imagery, color combinations, and intuitive icons help guide the visitor to the integrated eShop.

On the subject of innovative design trends, how about incorporating large images inside your online menu? A generous About Us page, accompanied by a photo gallery of the establishment, should entice visitors to make their reservations.

This pre-built website provides an excellent starting point for a creative website project. The design is clean and simple, a presentation video provides an engaging feature, and it's all topped off by an impressive gallery.

This pre-built website features a standard intuitive menu for eLearning platforms, but it can be applied to other types of training websites as well. Check out the large attention-grabbing video thumbnails and easy navigation, and it won't be hard to figure out how to customize it to fit your needs.

Here's a sharp, simple design that's both professional and friendly in its appearance. The clean structure of this pre-built website promotes easy navigation, while the way its content is organized for easy reading helps to ensure a winning UX.

Follow the Latest Tech News Religiously

Freelancers are already preparing for the future more than most other workers. The Edelman Intelligence report confirms this. It claims that 55% of all freelancers upgraded their skills to keep abreast of the market.

Set aside some time every week, or even every day, to catch up with the latest tech news. It won't take a lot of your time. You don't necessarily have to read a half dozen reports in depth; skimming will usually do.

Change happens. It always has, and it always will. Don't let yourself fall into the trap of constantly playing catch up. Take the new things you learn and integrate them into your work, and you'll be OK.

Don’t Compete with Technology – Use It to Your Advantage

Going with the flow can easily be interpreted as letting events control your life. If you take that literally, it could mean that the type of work you are doing today could be history in a few short years.

You need to be proactive about refining your skills and/or learning new ones. Or, you may find yourself having to make room for someone else who did just that.

The truth is, new technologies are creating more opportunities than ever for freelancers. This can be seen in terms of their careers, the innovative projects, and their incomes. When you become proficient or expert at a certain skill, it can be easy to fall in love with it. But, if that skill involves designing buggy whips, it may be time to rethink your priorities.

Be Prepared for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

How to fully prepare yourself for what the future holds in store? For starters, you can read a report on what the Fourth Industrial Revolution is about. Discover what disruptions it is causing within the freelance job market. Also, you might want to look into what it could mean to you.